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Research Journal Article Published by Prof. Adekunle


Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Timothy Adekunle, recently published a journal article “Occupants’ Perceptions of Comfort, Control, and Adaptation in Colonial Revival Style Residences” in Sustainability.  The study examined occupants’ perceptions of comfort, control, and adaptation in residential buildings located in cold climate region of the United States. Research methods included indoor monitoring of different variables in the summer, thermal comfort surveys (110 respondents), walk-throughs, observations, and informal interviews to collect data for analysis. The study revealed higher perceptions of the thermal environment among residents who spent longer hours in the buildings than those that spent fewer hours within the residences. The research implies that while there are limited options for control, the residents who spent longer hours in the buildings perceived themselves to be more comfortable and to be able to adapt better using available adaptive measures than those who spent fewer hours in the residences. The study notes that, as people migrate from one thermal environment to another, their adaptation level may change depending on certain factors, including the adaptive measures. The research recommends the integration of transitional smart devices (such as remotely controlled thermostats), including control for the residents who spent fewer hours in those buildings.

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